• In Between Days – Transitions with Keeley Moss

    March 7, 2018 - By 

    I can think of no bigger honour than being asked to contribute an article for International Women’s Day because not only is it a cause that I wholeheartedly support but in the wider world there are still some people who refuse to accept me for who I am. This I know because my own band just split up for that reason. But more on that later. I’m legally a woman, and my birth certificate states that I’m female. I’m also trans. I began transitioning as a desperate necessity when I found I could no longer live another day suppressing my…

  • What does it mean to win? – MayKay on Repeal the 8th

    March 7, 2018 - By 

    What does it mean to win? Do we all know? Do we all agree? Have we all challenged ourselves to question what it is that we want to personally achieve here? Do we want to be the loudest? Do we want to have the last word? Or, do we want to repeal the 8th amendment? I am not of course talking about the many resilient, brave, inspirational women who have trudged through the mud for our right to choose for longer than we know. I am not talking about the amazing women who have joined them over the past few…

  • Smells Like Team Spirit: Roller Derby Ireland

    March 6, 2018 - By 

    Roller Derby has long evolved from fishnet tights and elbows in the face to a well respected fast paced game of endurance, skill, strength and smarts. Barbara Robinson and Oonagh ‘Mauler’ O’Flaherty of Team Ireland share their experiences fresh off the track from the roller derby World Cup in Manchester. Photos by Sara Marsden. Barbara Robinson When I joined the Belfast roller derby team 7 years ago it was just for a fun new way to keep fit and learn how to skate. Before roller derby, I was very shy and had very little confidence. I had no idea how…

  • Triona Farrell – Colouring Outside the Lines

    March 6, 2018 - By 

    Growing up, I was enamoured by nerd culture. From video-games to comic books, my hobbies were diverse and engaging. This culture was primarily a male dominated space however. From the comic book fan that sneered at me for wanting to get into Batman, to the many micro-aggressions down through the years, I learned that my gender was on the fringes, a minority in a larger ‘boy’s club’. In Ireland, the nerd culture was sparse, but I still felt it from young men who hid behind social awkwardness, or sleazily attempted to get uncomfortably close. I was closely involved in this…

  • Same Story, Different Tune: Mná na hÉireann’s Place in the Global Music Scene

    March 6, 2018 - By 

    In 1989, American audiences were formally introduced to Sinead O’ Connor. To the opening chords of ‘Mandinka’ the 21-year-old from Glenageary strode confidently across the gaping stage of the 31st Annual Grammy Awards; completely alone, briefly wiping her hand across her mouth and gazing out into the darkened crowd, unfazed. Torn jeans and Dr. Martens, she cut a striking image of unconventional female beauty, strength and unmatched musicianship. Sidestepping and shuffling unperturbed across the stage and ultimately the threshold of global success, O’ Connor at this time appeared to bookmark the redefinition of what it meant to be an Irish…

  • Autonomy: A book about taking our selves back

    March 6, 2018 - By 

    What is bodily autonomy? What does it feel like when it’s taken away? This is a women-led collection of stories, poems, memoirs, essays and more exploring what it means to have bodily autonomy. Read it if you don’t understand why no-one should ever be forced to stay pregnant against their will. Read it if you do understand, and would like to be part of the change. I’ve been attending pro-choice street stalls for years now.  It’s changed so much: I’m hardly ever verbally abused any more, people want to know how they can help.  But there are still too many…

  • Ink for Thought: Female Tattoo Artists of The North Unite

    March 7, 2018 - By 

    Our photographer Sara Marsden meets up with five strong Northern Irish female Tattoo artists to take their portraits and allow them to discuss their work and goals in their own words. I got my first tattoo in July 2014; an outline of an anchor on my right ankle. Highly original, I know, but I was in love with all things nautical for some reason and it just felt right. I had always been obsessed with tattoos and itching for the day I would get one. Since then my skin has become more and more adorned with artwork, and I have…

  • It’s Not Always About Your Fanny – Aoife Dooley on Gender in Comedy

    March 7, 2018 - By 

    People always say to me ‘it must be very difficult being a woman in comedy in this day and age’ why? because I have a fanny? The short answer is, for me, it doesn’t make a difference. Growing up in Coolock I used to hang out with a group of lads. We played football, kick the can, manhunt, the lot. I was always involved in sport and other activities with both sexes and if anyone told me otherwise, i’d stick it to them. I’ve always had this outlook throughout my life and never let someone tell me I couldn’t do…

  • Repeal and Appeal: Lisa Marie on Bodily Autonomy and Performance

    March 8, 2018 - By 

    I remember the first time I stepped on stage as a fresh faced student in school about 15 years ago. I don’t even remember the pre-show nerves but one thing that stayed with me was the buzz I had afterwards and it’s something that has stuck with me. So it’s no wonder that when given the opportunity to step back on stage as a 20 something year old, I jumped at the chance. I started my burlesque journey on the incredible stage of The Sugar Club for the Dublin Burlesque Festival as part of burlesque troupe La Folie Déshabille. It…

  • Oh and by the way, I am a woman too – Aoife McCann of Æ MAK

    March 6, 2018 - By 

    Overall my experience so far in the Irish Music Industry has been a positive and supported one. Unfortunately the music business is most definitely a business. Like any business it boils down to who you know and what connections and contacts you make along the way to enable a further reach for your music. Ireland’s music scene is very small in comparison to London’s or L.A’s but being small it also has its advantages as once you’ve been working in it for a few years you just end up meeting and getting to know almost everyone else moving in it;…